State of the Lake Houston Area Luncheon Co-Presented by Community Impact News and North Houston Regional Center for Economic Development

Name: State of the Lake Houston Area Luncheon Co-Presented by Community Impact News and North Houston Regional Center for Economic Development

Date: June 12, 2018

Time: 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM CDT

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Event Description:

Eduardo Irigoyen, Project Manager with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Galveston District, Michael Garske, Hydraulic Engineer with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Dr. Lester King, AICP, LEED with Rice University will speak at the State of the Lake Houston Area luncheon presented by Community Impact Newspaper and North Houston Economic Development Center on Tuesday, June 12 at 11:30 a.m. at The Golf Club of Houston.

Irogoyen and Garske will provide attendees with information and updates about the upcoming dredging projects in the area. King will speak about the three-phase strategic plan for recovery and resiliency plan that Rice University has developed for the Lake Houston Area.

Each phase includes research and technical support from University of Houston and Rice University. The Lake Houston Area Chamber of Commerce would take the lead as the convener and coordinator of the effort.

Irogoyen has an extensive background and experience within USACE ranging from programs, construction management, and operations and maintenance. His current duties include the efficient and effective coordination and accomplishment of the planning, scope, development, design, construction, and direction of several projects along the Texas Gulf coast including the Coastal Texas Study and the Texas City Construction.

Irogoyen is also the district’s point-of-contact and coordinator for all projects under the Continue Authority Program and Planning Assistance to States program. He currently serves as the 2018 Federal Emergency Management Agency funded Emergency Dredging Project Program Manager for the West Fork of the San Jacinto River.

Garske performs, manages and coordinates hydrology and hydraulics design studies of Houston for the Addicts & Barker Reservoir mega study using computer modeling software. He is currentlythe lead hydraulic engineer for the San Jacinto debris removal and dredging project.

Garske also evaluates projects with local sponsors, state, and other federal agencies for conformity with District criteria and perform miscellaneous reviews as necessary for hydrology and hydraulics evaluation as well as performs risk and 3D modeling efforts with respect to flood damage prevention projects. He graduated from Texas A&M University at Galveston in 2014 with a BS in Offshore Coastal Systems Engineering.

Lester King, Ph.D., is a nationally certified sustainability planner and dedicated educator in the United States. Dr. King specializes in developing strategies for urban development. He is a certified and skilled planner with expertise in community development, public health planning, environmental planning, and sustainability planning. He has had experience with developing consensus building techniques for public participation/ community involvement. He has facilitated stakeholder meetings for federal, state, municipal and community projects. Dr. King has delivered lectures to local, national and international groups, regarding best practices in performance measurement for achieving sustainability goals. Dr. King is a University Lecturer and Senior Fellow with the American Leadership Forum (ALF).

Reservations are due by Friday, June 8. The cost to attend is $30 for Chamber members and $35 for guests. Reservations made after the deadline are subject to availability and will be $35 for members and $40 for guests. For more information, email Chris O’Dell at codell@lakehouston.orgor call the Chamber at (281) 446-2128.

The army corps of engineers guy said they have been directed, by FEMA, to dredge the west fork from Rt 69 south to West Lake Houston Parkway (even tho he had trouble pronouncing it.)The second guy from said the flooding in the east fork was not a result is the flooding in the west fork. All flooding was blamed on the amount of rain and tributaries south of Lake Conroe. The third guy talked about the hundred year flood plane and showed maps of it where it affected Houston. It was orange in color. No orange color was in the east fork that I could see on the map.Everyone knew everyone, hugs and hellos abounded. It was a schmooze opportunity for all the dignitaries. There were people from Kingwood hospital and Houston chamber of commerce.One lady asked about the Conroe effect. And they all smoothed it over...I asked her after if she thought they answered her question. She thought they did. I didn’t. They seem to be close to starting. Each speaker had 15 minutes.I was underwhelmed. Blackened mahi mahi, broiled chicken, steamed veggies and potato au gratin. And a small salad.They all came for the free lunch... I’m sure our taxes paid for them...It was what I expected.Conroe is untouchable and the Trinity Plan wasn’t mentioned although the first guy said the sand would be demoted to not affect the environment. Helllllloooooo...Pollution from the Trinity is ok I guess... oh there are “resiliency” plans that are 6-8 weeks in the planning stage but it was all BS spread around by the cronies in our local government offices..Jmho

Thank you, interesting the corps of engineers is spearheading it, but IMHO they need to go 1 mile E of WLHP to be truly effective. I was standing on that massive sandbar in W fork Sun, thinking how are they going to move all of this. And hoping they also take out this huge sandbar in front of KW boat ramp and go up that little inlet a bit. All the ditches in KW flow out of that inlet and it needs to be dredged also. Hopefully the city will have some pull and have that done while the have the equipment over here already. Did they mention how deep or wide they plan to dredge perhaps?

See email stream below about zebra mussels and polluted water in Trinity River.

Hi Bubba,I’m not aware of zebra mussels in the Trinity below Lake Livingston but there is a reproducing population of zebra mussels in Lake Livingston. You can visit this website for updates:Hi Bubba,I’m not aware of zebra mussels in the Trinity below Lake Livingston but there is a reproducing population of zebra mussels in Lake Livingston. You can visit this website for updates:https://www.texasinvasives.org/cleandraindry/.

TPWD shares your concern about the spread of zebra mussels. It is a violation to possess or transport any exotic aquatic plant or animal listed as harmful or potentially harmful.In general we recommend to regulators like TCEQ and US Army Corps of Engineers that interbasin transfers of water be piped directly to treatment plants to minimize the potential for introduction of aquatic invasive species. However the state water rights for the Luce Bayou Diversion were granted prior to TPWD’s involvement in permitting issues. As a requirement of the federal Clean Water Act Section 404 permit for the Luce Bayou project, the US Army Corps of Engineers required the project sponsor, Coastal Water Authority, to develop and execute a “Zebra Mussel Control Plan”. You can read the USACE 2014 Record of Decision (ROD) regarding the Clean Water Act Section 404 permit for the Luce Bayou Project here: https://www.swg.usace.army.mil/Portals/ ... 0LBITP.pdf.

Cindy, I am trying to find out it there is a possibility of bringing zebra mussels and/or fish consumption bans into Lake Houston via Luce Bayou and the Trinity River. See conversation below. Please reply. Thanks in advance.

Does the Trinity river, below Lake Livingston have zebra mussels in it?Is it legal for me to bring or put Zebra mussels into any lake, including Lake Houston?The Luce Bayou Interbasin transfer project will do this. (Bring water from the Trinity River into Luce Bayou) Is this legal?Why would any state agency KNOWINGLY put zebra mussels in a lake that does not currently have them?

Answer from Jerry- Currently I do not know of zebra mussels being found below Lake Livingston but they are in the upper Trinity. It is almost certain that they will make their way down the river. Texas Parks and Wildlife is the only agency that is currently involved in managing zebra mussels but I do not know if they have authority to stop water projects as you mentioned. I agree with you that Texas should not knowingly introduce zebra mussels into any waters where they are not found.

TPWD shares your concern about the spread of zebra mussels. It is a violation to possess or transport any exotic aquatic plant or animal listed as harmful or potentially harmful.In general we recommend to regulators like TCEQ and US Army Corps of Engineers that interbasin transfers of water be piped directly to treatment plants to minimize the potential for introduction of aquatic invasive species. However the state water rights for the Luce Bayou Diversion were granted prior to TPWD’s involvement in permitting issues. As a requirement of the federal Clean Water Act Section 404 permit for the Luce Bayou project, the US Army Corps of Engineers required the project sponsor, Coastal Water Authority, to develop and execute a “Zebra Mussel Control Plan”. You can read the USACE 2014 Record of Decision (ROD) regarding the Clean Water Act Section 404 permit for the Luce Bayou Project here: https://www.swg.usace.army.mil/Portals/ ... 0LBITP.pdf.

Cindy, I am trying to find out it there is a possibility of bringing zebra mussels and/or fish consumption bans into Lake Houston via Luce Bayou and the Trinity River. See conversation below. Please reply. Thanks in advance.

Does the Trinity river, below Lake Livingston have zebra mussels in it?Is it legal for me to bring or put Zebra mussels into any lake, including Lake Houston?The Luce Bayou Interbasin transfer project will do this. (Bring water from the Trinity River into Luce Bayou) Is this legal?Why would any state agency KNOWINGLY put zebra mussels in a lake that does not currently have them?

Answer from Jerry- Currently I do not know of zebra mussels being found below Lake Livingston but they are in the upper Trinity. It is almost certain that they will make their way down the river. Texas Parks and Wildlife is the only agency that is currently involved in managing zebra mussels but I do not know if they have authority to stop water projects as you mentioned. I agree with you that Texas should not knowingly introduce zebra mussels into any waters where they are not found.

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